Wales vs. Italy: Winners and Losers from International Match

Wales labored to a 23-19 win over Italy in their final World Cup warm-up match, but the average performance has been overshadowed by injuries suffered by Leigh Halfpenny and Rhys Webb.

The full-back and scrum-half are now major questions marks for the tournament, per espn.co.uk. After a display that was only just good enough to down the unfancied Italians, a huge cloud now hangs over Warren Gatland’s squad.

Here are the winners and losers from Cardiff.

Wales’ first-choice scrum-half and Pro 12 player of the year Rhys Webb suffered a suspected broken ankle in the first half, per walesonline.co.uk.

A scan has reportedly revealed no break, but there is ligament damage, per BBC Sport. It looks unlikely that Webb will be fit for the start, if any of Wales’ World Cup campaign.

Having usurped the highly experienced Mike Phillips and rapidly become a key man for Warren Gatland’s side, the loss of the Ospreys player will be a major dent to his country’s hopes of improving on their 2011 semi-final.

Out of the squad and perhaps staring at the end of his international career, Mike Phillips may now be handed a lifeline.

Should Rhys Webb’s injury rule him out of the tournament, Phillips is the obvious choice to replace him in the squad. Such is the cruel nature of sport, one man’s misfortune presents opportunity for another.

Former Wales prop Graham Price wrote on walesonline.co.uk:

"I can’t see anyone else they will look at. He has the experience and maybe after the kick up the backside he will come back all guns blazing and could even become first choice."

Losing one influential player is bad, losing two is bordering on disaster.

Wales and Lions full-back Halfpenny joined Rhys Webb on the "highly doubtful" list for the World Cup after sustaining a fresh injury to his problematic knee, per walesonline.co.uk.

If Halfpenny is ruled out, Wales lose both his outstanding ability as one of the game’s best all-round No. 15s, but also their best goal-kicker.

A scan scheduled for Monday will confirm the extent of the damage for the Toulon man.

Italy can hold their own with the big boys when they are allowed to turn a game into an arm wrestle.

They accomplished this in Cardiff and it enabled them to lead the Welsh for much of the contest.

Their scrum was in the ascendancy and their success in slowing the ball down and unsettling Welsh players stopped the hosts from establishing any rhythm or tempo.

If coach Jacques Brunel was looking for a blueprint that would show his players how they can stay in the fight against the best teams in their pool, this performance provided it.